It takes a lifetime to make each piece of jewelry…

How does one answer the question: How long did it take you to make this? Borrowing from an artist’s blog I answer “a lifetime”. The vision of the piece and its construction are drawn from a lifetime of experiences; and these experiences are not just from being “at the bench”.

The most important thing I have learned in the metalsmithing process is that the craftsperson needs to honor and recognize space. The best thing a metalsmith can do is to leave space for the piece to participate in the creation process. Often times, when pushing to go in one creative direction, the piece says “nuh uh”. It knows where it wants to be. Learning to allow the piece that space has been a most important lesson.